The Arizona Hispanic Center of Excellence (HCOE) proposes the expansion and institutionalization of Arizona Biomedical Scientist Development Program that will contribute to the expansion of a diverse and culturally competent biomedical academic workforce to serve the nation. This program identifies talented and motivated faculty and students from diverse backgrounds who demonstrate potential for success in medical academia. Participants are provided a structured program of instruction, skills building, professional development and support during a transitional period in order to ensure their professional successful completion of the standard medical school curriculum. Minority faculty and graduate students who complete the program mainstream seamlessly into the health sciences faculty and students and thus avoid any programmatic stigmatization. The mission of the Arizona Biomedical Scientist Development Program is to increase the number and the success of minority biomedical faculty, specifically Hispanic, Black and American Indian individuals, at the University of Arizona College of Medicine through the establishment of a biomedical scientist development program that will increase the number of high quality and diverse academic physicians and scientists to serve the unique needs of the American Southwest.
The specific aims of this program include the following: 1) By Year 5, we will double the number of Hispanic, Black and American Indian biomedical faculty who successfully transition into medical school faculty at the University of Arizona. 2) By Year 5, we will increase by 25% the number of Hispanic, Black and American Indian graduate students (pre-doctoral, doctoral, and post-doctoral). We propose to utilize the Endowment related income to expand this very promising program, which may ultimately serve as a national model for the development of a diverse academic health professions workforce.
